GUN
by LordHelen
Summary: When G.U.N. comes to capture Shadow and Sonic, Shadow is forced to flee. With Sonic as a captive, G.U.N. persues the missing hedgehog. Sonic is a girl
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Leave

By

LordHelen

Sonic snuggled comfortably into her armchair, holding up Wuthering Heights. How long had it been since she had gotten Shadow back? Two weeks? It was wonderfully peaceful, too peaceful for the year she had had. She stretched out, thinking about Shadow now.

He was still very distant, but he was warming up. She expected he thought he would wake up one day and Sonic will have gone all psycho and killed everyone. Sonic could hardly blame him, and she was trying to be patient. He had gone all distant again after the Hogura adventure though, and it was hard.

Sonic was not very patient. When she had tried meditation before to get through Shadow's distant phase, she had been unable to do it correctly. She had twitches and ticks that annoyed most who looked at her. She looked up at Rouge's hammock, finally realizing the bat had not come home.

"Still at Knuckles's house?" Sonic wondered aloud. Everyone in the cluster of friends had suspected there was something going on between the two and often discussed it. Sonic had openly refused to join this, stating it was rude to discuss someone behind their backs. The others, of course, disagreed and simply refrained from talking in front of her.

The too bright yellow door swung open and Sonic jumped, her forgotten book falling to the floor. Rouge entered, looking tired and enraged. Her eyes were puffy and red as if she had been crying. She locked the door quietly behind herself, seeming to remember to be quiet. She turned and jumped into the air, her flapping wings taking her to the ceiling.

"Sonic, what are you doing? It must be past midnight!" Rouge rubbed her eyes and sank back to the floor. Her face was wrinkled with anger and pain, something Sonic had never seen. Not on Rouge, at least.

"I was just reading." Sonic said honestly, standing up. Her friend looked bad. "What happened? Have you been crying?"

"No." Rouge lied unconvincingly. She sighed and it was long and shuddering, a sigh of defeat. "Yes."

"Why? Rouge, did Knuckles make you cry?" Sonic demanded. Rouge didn't answer, so the hedgehog pressed. "Rouge, you get your little bat butt over here and answer me!"

"Okay, Sonic, fine!" Rouge said. Sonic felt the water works coming on and ran to her bed, grabbing the box of tissues. "Yes, Knuckles made me cry."

"Tell me what happened, Rouge. Please."

"Well, Knuckles and I have been…well, we've been…" Rouge fought for words, her face screwed up.

"Involved?" Sonic suggested helpfully.

"Yeah, sure. Involved…anyways, I came to Knuckles and we were talking…and we got into a hug fight!" Rouge was sobbing now. "It wasn't even about anything important, and he almost kicked me out! And I was yelling, and he was yelling…"

"Shh, Rouge, hush now." Sonic comforted, stuffing the tissues in her hand. "Go to sleep, you can talk to Knuckles tomorrow. He was fine, you were great! You're supposed to yell and fight and be mad! And then you make up. Go to bed."

"Okay…" Rouge sniffled and fluttered to her hammock, crying all night. Sonic wanted to be there for her friend, but she wanted to sleep to! Between Shadow and Rouge and the boring classes, Sonic almost wished for another person to come around! Another disaster so she could be the hero and everyone would love her again. Forgetting the anxiety and fear, Sonic silently prayed for one more disaster, just one…

The morning was bright and Sonic could barely hold in her excitement. Shadow was watching TV with her, and he was hardly distant at all. He even kissed her once or twice. Sonic stretched on his bed and laughed at his joy.

"Are you feeling okay?" Sonic asked, the question popping unexpectedly from her mouth. She blushed.

"Yeah, I'm fine. No bruises or head bumps. No migraines. Why do you ask?" Shadow turned and gave her a puzzled gaze.

"It's just…I don't know, maybe the light made you look pale." Sonic's lie sounded feeble even to her. "Okay, you're acting funny. But I like it, and don't you dare stop."

"Okay, sure. You sure are strange, Sonic Hedgehog." Shadow smiled and turned back to the TV, watching a program about G.U.N. It was the government association, Guardian Units of Nations. It was explaining their purpose and weaponry.

"Wow, this is highly educational." Sonic commented, throwing popcorn in high arcs towards Silver. "Only smart people should watch this. I guess you should go, Silver."

"Ha ha, so terribly funny, Sonic." Silver snapped. Sonic looked taken aback, and Silver immediately felt rotten. She was just kidding. "Sorry, your snoring boyfriend kept, me up last night."

"I do not snore you liar!" Shadow snarled, throwing a whole handful of popcorn perfectly, slapping Silver in the face. The hedgehog smiled, wiping his face off.

"Oh sure, when I do it I get reprimanded. When he does it, he gets the smile of doom." Sonic pouted. Silver chuckled and got up, leaving with the claim he had studies at the library.

"So, what do you want to do? Go out for coffee?" Shadow asked, shutting off the TV. He stood and stretched.

"I dunno." Sonic admitted, smiling. "I guess we could, The cafeteria serves decaf, if you want to go there."

"Nah, let's go to that new place. You know, Grinder. Or Grind Me, I can't remember." Shadow smiled back. Sonic was about to reply when the door burst open. Several men wearing black protective uniforms and holding guns rushed in.

"Paradox 007 is in range." One man said into a communication device, maybe a wire. "Shoot?"

"NO!" Sonic shouted, seeing all the guns pointed at Shadow. She had little fear; she could knock these guys out in an instance. She concentrated and her fur glittered a light blue.

"Citizen, we are a military task force, G.U.N. We ask you to leave and let us handle the situation." A soldier grabbed Sonic's arm, then dropped it like it burned him.

"Touch me again." Sonic smiled evilly, her voice echoing loudly like it always did when she became the Light Wanderer. "I dare you."

"General, there appears to be another unknown a seemingly deadly individual residing here. She is in range as well."

"We want them alive! We want to study! Do not kill them, soldier!"

"Shadow, go!" Sonic ordered. He didn't move and she ran to him, pressing him forward. "Shadow, run away! Right now!"

"Right, of course." Shadow ran out the door. Some turned to follow, but Sonic distracted them by blowing up the door.

"Highly dangerous, I repeat, seemingly deadly individual is highly dangerous! Fire, men, fire!" a soldier shouted.

Sonic dodged the bullets, as if they were in slow mode. She saw some of them trying to get through the wreckage to get to Shadow. Raising a hand, she blew up a large piece of rubble, showering the men in blazing wreckage. Consumed by her odd delight in destruction, Sonic didn't notice the man creeping up behind her until a gun slammed against her head, knocking her out cold.

"Commander, we only got one. We'll send out a search when we get back, but we need to stabilize this one. Subject is highly dangerous, I repeat, highly dangerous."


	2. Chapter 2: Seperated Again

Chapter Two: Separated Again

By

LordHelen

Shadow ran from the dorm room, not stopping at the explosion behind him. He knew Sonic could handle herself, but he didn't think he could avoid those guns. He reached the gate, grabbing the lock in irritation. His grip tightened and the lock broke. He figured it was cheap and dismissed it.

His gloved hands pushed the gate open and he ran out into the fields outside campus. _Odd, _he thought as he padded across the landscape, _Odd that I'm never out here when my life isn't in danger._

Shadow heard a loud noise, like a helicopter setting off. When he looked up, a copter was flying over his head. Shadow hid behind a tree until it disappeared into the sky. Then he ran towards the end of the field.

At the edge of the Harmony Fields was a large, dense forest called Peace Woods. Inside was the perfect hiding spot. You could hide for years in there. Shadow took a stone and wrote a heart with the figures _S+S_ in the first tree_. _Sure that Sonic would get the message, he ran into the black woods and the unknown in its depths.

Sonic came to consciousness slowly. Her head hurt horribly, and she was spread uncomfortably on something ice cold. Her eyes opened to a bright light. She gave a yelp of pain and covered her eyes.

"Project #352 is awake." A female voice echoed around the room. "Requesting permission to start testing."

"Granted Dr. Genes." A male voice answered. Sonic sat up before opening her eyes. She was in a small, white tiled room. There was glass at the other side of the room instead of a wall, most likely one-way glass.

"Project #352, we are going to start testing you in your other form. Please morph before we have to force it out of you."

"NO! You can't force it out of me, you don't understand a thing! And I'm not helping any of you freaks!" Sonic yelled, standing up. There was a second of silence.

"We'll see about that."

Shadow leaped easily over a rock, surprised at how much energy coursed through his veins. He reached a hand up to a tree branch and swung his feet from the ground, letting go a second later. He landed on his feet two feet away.

Little squirrels and birds hid at the sight of him, not disturbing him too much. He didn't much care for the little forest animals, so he didn't expect them to like him. He ran his hand along the trees as he passed, relishing the peace and quiet. He loved Sonic, but recently he had been restless.

He had grown tired of their tiny fights, unimportant chats. Something inside him had been pulling him away, toward something else. The peace and quiet was a start. But now that pull was fierce now, and his feet moved on their own. They almost ran to whatever was pulling him so strong.

Suddenly, the pull was too difficult to resist. He looked up as he ran, seeing a small dot in the distance. As he neared it changed slowly into a small house in a meadow. He stopped with a huff just outside.

"Go away, darn you! I've got powerful magics, so run off now!" a hysterical female voice yelled.

"But-"

"I warned you! Here comes your doom!"

Sonic watched green gas fill the room. At first it did nothing but look disgusting, but then pain hit. Sonic gasped like a dying fish and dropped to her knees. The gas had entered her lungs, breathing becoming hard, but not impossible. It spread through her veins, spreading pain through her veins.

The pain coursed like ice throughout her and she almost fell over completely. As it was, she needed her arms to keep herself on her knees. Tears fell from her eyes as the woman said something unintelligible. Maybe it was, but Sonic couldn't hear it above the ringing of her ears. Her eardrums throb painfully, as if about to burst.

She forced one long, steady breath, then another and another. The pain didn't get easier, but she defied her instinct to drop. She could overcome anything, even in her ordinary form. She stood shakily, still forcing those breaths. And then her legs grew steadier, her fists on her hips.

"Is that the best you can do?" Sonic said in a surprisingly calm voice. It couldn't be hers, not with how she felt inside.

"I haven't even gotten started."

Shadow froze, then his knees buckled and he fell just as a bright flash of red shot out a window. He stood, the blood rushing to his face in a blush of rage.

"Are you stupid?! That could have destroyed this whole forest! And besides I'm not trying hurt you. At least, not yet!"

"What? Who are you? Quick, speak up before I hit you again!" the voice ordered.

"I'm Shadow, a student at the high school across Harmony Field! I didn't even know this place existed, I'm hiding from some people!" Shadow answered.

"What? Shadow, you say? What a surprise! Well, come on in." Shadow hesitated. "I won't bite no more, promise. Come on then, let me get a look at you!"

Shadow obediently stepped up and threw the door open. From the shadows, she gasped. And then a small, brown paw reached toward him.

"Shadow, could it be? Could it be…do you know what you are?"

Sonic dodged to the right, sweat pouring over her brow. The troll's hammer came down right where she used to be. She ran under his legs, causing him to flip on his back to try and get at her. Then he stood and raised a foot over her.

Running toward the glass, Sonic shed her torn gloves. She raked her nails across the glass, pleased by the screeching sound that filled the air. And then the troll dropped to its knees with a roar. Sonic triumphantly walked over to it, seeing its eyes still rolling. It wrapped one hand around her, squeezing with rage.

Sonic's breath was gone, her lungs aching. Her world began to spin as if she had vertigo, and then it began to go dark. She dimly heard a female voice shouting something, felt her power trying to protect her. But she absolutely refused to be a lab rat. The world blacked out, but the pain did not. It was like fire on every part of her body, especially the lungs. They scraped and burned as she fought for breath, and she swam in a pool of lava. This was not clear, cool, unfeeling unconsciousness. This was some form of hell, her personal hell.


	3. Chapter 3: Training

Chapter Three: Training

By

LordHelen

"Excuse me?" Shadow demanded, taking a step back. He was suddenly shaking, but there was no reason to. This woman must be crazy, that was it. She either misspoke or she was crazy. "Don't you mean who I am?"

"No, course not! I mean what I say, and I say _what_ you _are_. Course you wouldn't, though." The woman entered the light to reveal she was a young, and small, squirrel. She had dark brown eyes and tan fur. She actually looked a little cute, except her face was twisted into suspicion, fear and anger.

"Then you're crazy." Shadow stumbled back and fell out the door, falling to the ground. He jumped up and started to back away from her house.

"No, I'm not crazy. I know a bit about you, if you understand." The squirrel said stepping forward as he stepped back.

"No, I don't. You don't know anything about me; you're just an old squirrel!" Shadow cried. The squirrel stopped, tilting her head to the side.

"Old? I'm younger than ya!" The squirrel said in a suddenly accented voice. She smiled, seeming to regain calm and a normal voice. "Sorry. Now come here."

"No. Stay back!" Shadow yelled as she reached for him.

"Calm down. My name is Tina, and I need to train you up."

"Train me?"

"Yes, train you. There is a darkness coming, and it's you who'll be fighting it."

Sonic felt awful, her whole body aching. She moved her head gently from side to side, trying to see. The world was very blurry, and terribly bright. She winced, trying to see through the light.

"Is she awake, doctor?" an important and very annoyed voice said, ringing in Sonic's ears.

"She is moving, sir!" Dr. Genes's voice shouted. Sonic moaned, trying to cover her ears. But her arms were lead weights, refusing to lift. Her head flopped to the right and she saw a pair of black heels and the end of a lab coat. Forcing her eyes up, she the blurry image of a tall, blonde woman.

"Then resume testing."

"Sir, shouldn't we wait until she is more conscious?" Dr. Genes said in a small voice.

"Of course not. We must force it out of her, and if she has time to get stronger, it'll be that much harder to crack. The general is getting angry. We need to crack her clean, like-" he snapped his fingers-"that."

"Okay, sir." Genes answered. Sonic heard them walk away, and then the closing of a heavy door. That door seemed to have finality about it, and Sonic was afraid. And then she heard a high pitched shriek, which threatened to blow her eardrums out as it grew higher. And an urge to destroy filled her.

Shadow walked out the back door of the shabby home, finding a huge field of practice equipment, sword and axes and spears and daggers, targets, moving and dummies, and armor, mostly padded and for the use of none deadly duels.

"I really don't know. Sonic is better at fighting." Shadow said again.

"Really?" Tina asked, and then suddenly she brought a staff up and down in a blow that would have cracked his skull, had he not blocked it with his own staff and, in a lightning movement, twirled it and flicked it two feet in the air.

"Ooh, that was cool!" Shadow said in excitement, dropping his staff to accept the armor she gave him. It was light brown.

"Yes, and when Saline gets here you will learn some other stuff. I don't know what she calls it; it was either energy or magic. I teach you how to handle all these weapons and hand to hand. Shadow?" Tina asked. "Are you okay?" Shadow had frozen.

"I'm not learning magic." The memory of Marianna and Hogura was fresh in his mind.

"Energy, then." Tina said in a sure voice. She saw he was still not moving, so she prodded him with her staff. "Get moving, hedgehog. What if something were to fall on your head?"

"Might this something be your staff?" Shadow asked, grinning. Tina smiled back.

"Just might. Now, get all of it on, I don't want to give you anything broken. I'm fine with bruising, though."

Sonic was on the verge of turning into a rabid animal. She didn't have enough strength to turn into the Light Wanderer, but if she did than she would have. She had a burning, aching pain in her stomach and she howled like she was a mutt. Then the sound stopped and she relaxed. Her arms went stiff suddenly as she waited for what was to come next.

What could it be? Something to tear her limb from limb? Sonic didn't have the strength to fight. She couldn't turn into the Light Wanderer, it would destroy her. At least, she couldn't do it right now. She had tried, she really had. Anything to make that sound stop. She felt something wet fall over her closed eyes and a trembling hand smooth her belly fur.

"If he hears, he'll have my skin…but she's half-dead…" Sonic didn't hear the rest because she drifted into unconsciousness, which did not mean all pain left. Every part of her had a stabbing needle of pain.

There was a crack of wood on wood as Shadow raised his staff in a hurried motion to block Tina's. Tina smiled wide and swerved her staff under his to tap his throat. Kill position.

"You'll have to do better, Shadow. I'm afraid that just won't do, not at all." Tina laughed. Shadow tried to remember her words: _Calm, Shadow. If you get worked up, you'll make mistakes._

Shadow backed into an easy attack position. "Oh, playing simple now? Think you are too young for the complicated things? You know, Marianna…" Tina didn't get to finish. That name sent Shadow into a spiral of fury. HE brought his sword up and down towards her head. She blocked in a fluid motion and whipped in towards his chest, hitting him with a hard smack and sending him two feet back to land on his back.

"How do you know that name?!" Shadow snarled, trying to get up. He found a sharp sword pointed at his throat suddenly and stopped.

"You know better, Shadow. You'll never be able to fight people like her if you can't keep a hold on yourself." Tina turned and walked away, calling over her shoulder, "I've never seen a warrior who had a temper. They'd be done in rather quick."

Shadow panted, realizing he was sweating. He flopped on his stomach, muttering curses under his breath. Then he saw a small puff of white clouds that reminded him of Sonic's face. He sighed and dropped his hand by his side, his palm hitting his staff. He sat up, still staring at the cloud.

"I'll have to learn, I suppose. You need me, and now I'm the hero."

Sonic woke up and suddenly wished she hadn't. She was surrounded humans, and they were all muttering and pointing at her. They all had on white lab coats, but not exactly the same. One had snowy white hair and had a black clipboard. The rest had dark hair and had no clipboards. Genes was there, seeming to pleading with the one with the clipboard.

But Sonic couldn't hear a thing. Her ears were broken and refused transport sounds her brain. Sonic sat up and groaned. Nope, still couldn't hear. But all the doctors seemed to have heard. They were all staring at her in awe. Sonic wondered suddenly what was wrong. Her first thought was that she was hurt or scarred in some way. But when she looked down she didn't see anything except an odd assortment of wires and needles attached to her arms and chest. It was bit scary, especially some of the tubes seemed to be removing or returning blood.

She moved to pull them out, but one doctor waved his arms, signaling for her to stop. Sonic did, but only because she was afraid he might be explaining she would die if she pulled it out. She touched her ear, curious as to what was wrong with her hearing. She felt a lot of blood and a plug that she couldn't pull out. She tried to yell at the doctors, but she couldn't hear herself. It freaked her out. She tried again.

Hoping that she was making sound, she asked why she couldn't hear. One doctor actually had the nerve to laugh and point at her. Sonic flushed. The one with the clipboard shook his head and spun his clipboard to her so she the fine printing. It read:

Sorry. We have to experiment, orders. Please, lie down and wait.

Sonic complied, resting her head on a soft pillow. She wondered what tests they could possibly have to do. Suddenly, pain shot through her like electricity through water. She thought she screamed, but she couldn't hear it. She felt hands restraining her arms and legs, pushing her against the bed. She struggled violently, trying to get up.

Sonic prayed that they would just knock her out again, but it appeared this was the test. Her heart hammered against her chest, protesting the abuse. She smelled her own sweat, realizing just how much she was working to suppress the pain. A weight hit her body with a sudden force, so tangible she was sure it was real. But she it wasn't because it didn't knock her out.

However, it did stop her struggles. She could no longer feel her body, a true blessing in that pain. She knew it was still remarkably painful, but she disconnected from the world. There was only herself, and then suddenly Shadow as well.

"Sleep, Sonic." Shadow whispered gently, and her eyelids drooped and she slept longer than she ever had before, except after her fight with Marianna. She slept for days and days.

**Just a disclaimer: I do not own Sonic, that belongs to Sega, and so do all characters. Excepts OCs.**


	4. Chapter 4: Submission

Chapter Four: Submission

By

LordHelen

Sonic concentrated, sure that she was alone and they had given up testing for the moment. She concentrated on touching the small orb inside herself, that tiny ball of energy that could swell and transform her from Sonic to the Light Wanderer. She wasn't sure it existed after all the stress and pain she'd been under.

But it was there. As soon as she found it she felt it grow and suddenly she was warm. Sonic sighed and pulled herself back to the present, shaking her head to clear it. She wouldn't even remember why she wouldn't transform and blow the, all up.

"Sonic?" a cool voice asked. Sonic looked up and saw the blond doctor, the one with the clipboard. Now he didn't have a clipboard, and instead of a white doctor robe he wore a red shirt and blue jeans. "Sonic Hedgehog, right?"

"Who are you?" Sonic skipped the manners, deciding to treat him as the enemy. Until she knew what was happening, everyone she met was the enemy.

"My name is Alan. I am a doctor here." Alan sat a few feet away, smiling. Sonic scooted back two feet.

"I figured."

"Well, I assumed that." Alan laughed a bit, trying to get her to ease up and trust him, probably. "Sonic, it occurs to me you might not know why you're here."

"Actually, I do." Sonic said, straining to remember that day she was captured. It must have been weeks ago if she really couldn't remember that well. "You want me to transform?"

"Yes. Well, may I ask why you won't transform? Are you incapable?" Alan's brow furrowed, like he didn't like that idea.

"You know, not one person has asked me anything so far. No one has explained a thing. They just throw pain and shrieking sounds and trolls at me…"

"Simulations of trolls, actually. Not really simulations, more like a chip. We put a chip in your brain to do different things. We made you believe there was a troll, and that shrieking sound was a malfunction. Sorry." Alan looked sincere.

"Thank you invading my brain." Sonic spat, a growl building in her throat.

"So who's Shadow?" Alan said hastily. His question caught her off guard. She frowned, staring at him in confusion. "You talked a bit in your sleep. Only a little. You said Shadow."

"Oh, well…Shadow is…He's kinda my…" Sonic failed for words. Her cheeks flamed bright red under the fur. "Shadow is my friend."

"Oh." Alan said. He understood she didn't want to talk about it. "So do you think you will transform? Please?"

"What?" Sonic asked. Then she came back to the present, Shadow forgotten. "I can't. I don't know what you will do to me."

Shadow focused on her furry chest. It always moved just slightly before the attack. HE saw the sign and immediately brought his staff up. There was a hard clank and she gave some vicious comment. His ears were trained to deflect those sounds, though. While she wasted breath, he swooped his staff down and around. Tina fell.

"Good job, Shadow. Saline'll be her soon, so put all that away. And don't give me that look, Saline won't teach you a thing you don't want to know. No one's babysitting you like a parent. You didn't have to learn what I taught, did you?"

"You didn't make me." Shadow allowed. But he did need to learn what she taught him. If he didn't then how could he save Sonic? Shadow placed his staff on the rack, next to the sword, axe, spear and dagger she had given him. He put his padded training armour in a neat row and assembled it in the sun. Then he turned to meet this 'Saline'.

Saline had long, reddish brown ears. Her oval face was also red, her black eyes shiny and innocent. She was dressed in a long, purple dress. Her sleeves trailed to the grassy ground.

"Hello, Shadow." Saline said in a clear, bell tone voice. "It is nice to meet you. Would you sit?" Saline sat gracefully and Shadow stumbled to follow suit. He was much less graceful.

"Saline?"

"Yes. Tina tells me you do not like magics?" Salina waited for an answer.

"No, I don't. I've seen people…go crazy because of it." Shadow closed his eyes, remembering Marianna's wild eyes.

"You are accustomed to dark magic. But obviously you don't know about the others. Light, for instance," Salina cupped her hands as if holding water and blew. White butterflies flew out, shimmering at first until the light disappeared and left brilliant monarchs behind. "Light is the magic of life. Purity and love opens the gateway to Light. Blue magic is endurance, defense. I can tell you would learn Blue magic quickly."

"Wow." Shadow watched one of the monarchs fly over and rest on his finger.

"And Red magic is the magic of auras and minds. Auras are the signals your soul gives off. The mind part simply means someone with Red magic could detect how strong your mind is. Say someone with Dark magic corrupted you. This would make your brain waves more…staticy, thought it would not affect your aura at all."

"Light, Blue, Red…" Shadow counted on his fingers. He grudgingly added one more. "Dark."

"Yes, and five more. Orange, Green, Brown, Pink and Purple. All different colors represent different things. Pink is control of body, Orange control of mind as opposed to sensing the mind. Brown is the magic of earth, and Green is the magic of air! Purple, my favorite, is the magic of souls."

"What about energy?" Shadow recalled the word Tina had used.

"Energy is an extension of Red magic. Energy is feeling your own aura-much harder than feeling others-and using it. You can force your aura into tangible energy attacks. It is much more effective than most physical attacks, but it does not require hardly any skill at magic. Moist people do not bother to learn it. They believe it is weak because it does not involve much magic."

"I want to learn energy!" Shadow decided, forgetting he would have to learn magic in order to do so. Even if he remembered, he wouldn't object to learning Red or Blue magic. He was beginning to see a whole world of magic, not all of it bad.

"I would love to teach you." Saline agreed, smiling kindly. "Your first lesson on magic starts now."

Sonic lounged on the poufy armchair happily, drinking some fizzy apple drink and eating a whole plate of chili dogs. Once Alan had swore they only wanted to test her Light Wanderer form and call upon her as a secret weapon if needed she had agreed to transform. Now she was treated as a guest in a kind, rich woman's house rather than a hostage.

Alan had gone to approve tests with Dr. Samantha Genes and ordered some blond to get Sonic whatever she wanted. Sonic was enjoying this privilege, amazed at how fast th blond responded. Most people took longer to get chili dogs. Sonic ran out of chili dogs and groaned.

"Would you like something, miss?" Blondie asked politely. Sonic held up the plate and before she could ask for more chili dogs the girl and plate was gone. Sonic shrugged and drained her glass.

"Thank you." Sonic said when the girl gave her a new plate of chili dogs. Blondie was already out of sight. Almost like a vampire. Sonic finished her dogs and stretched her legs. Deciding to sleep rather than continually gorge herself on chili dogs, Sonic deposited her cup and plate on the floor and curled into a ball. She wasn't worried about the tests. Those were the Light Wanderer's problem, not hers. Not anymore, at least.

Shadow tried to concentrate on being oblivious. He tried to block the birds' calls and the wind's whisper. He honestly did try. But it didn't work.

"That's not good enough, Shadow. I'm sorry, but you'll have to do better. Red magic is mostly meditation at the beginning, and you seem to lack this talent. You are rather skilled, I promise! But you'll just have to try a bit harder." Saline said in a small voice.

"I'm trying." Shadow answered, voice tight. Saline, despite her apologies, was pressuring him. He tried to rush, but Saline sniffed out rushing in a second and told him to take his time. Shadow was becoming impatient, wanting to hurry through Red magic to energy.

"I know, I know. Just don't rush. I want you to _try,_ not _rush._ Sometimes they mean the same thing, but with magic…Shadow, if you rush, magic can kill you. Believe me, I know." Saline added bitterly.

"So do I." Shadow winced, remembering watching Sonic and Hogura fight. It had been like a dream. He had been tortured to near insanity, and he wasn't sure if his memories were right. He recalled Hogura getting impatient and summoning a big ball of magical energy. He was unable to control it in the end and Sonic tricked him into his death.

Shadow sighed, closing his eyes again. He tried to sense rather than _hear,_ feel rather than _see._ It was hard; his senses did not want to cooperate. He exhaled slowly, opening his eyes. He saw the formations of a yellowish glow around Saline. This did not particularly excite him; it had been the same each time. But then it was suddenly bright and clear, a dull yellow around Saline. Saline's aura

Shadow remembered the more pure the aura the more pure the person. So Saline had some kind of a past. Shadow wondered briefly if it had anything to do with her comment about knowing how magic could cause death, but then the impact hit. His mind was under an almost solid strain. He had to work his mind to such stages as this, but he had somehow jumped here. His mind could explode if he didn't get out. He tried to backtrack, but he was stuck in an agonizing death.

Suddenly it was gone. The strain on his mind, Saline's aura, the hyperawareness. He was just Shadow again. Saline was staring at him, her hand raised. He realized she had been the one to save him. She shook her head, her look disapproving.

"Don't rush, Shadow. If I didn't know that spell, you would be dead right now. Magic can be absolutely wonderful, but it is always dangerous."

"I know." Shadow sighed, realizing he was lying down after that moment of pain. He sat up.

"Do you?" Saline asked, shaking her head. "Do you honestly understand the extent of the danger? Some magic can rip your body apart. The Elements can flood your body with so much power that you burn up and die. That spell you just rushed through would not only explode your mind but your whole head and spinal cord. _Magic is dangerous._ Please don't rush."

"I won't, not ever again." Shadow promised. Saline examined his expression minutely, trying to decide if he meant. She seemed satisfied.

"Very well. We'll try a few more times and call it quits for today. As I understand, Tina wants to teach you hand-to-hand."

"You mean she wants to punch my face without getting in trouble." Shadow replied. Saline laughed, then made him focus.

Sonic knew every doctor in the building was watching her. She could not see them, but she felt them. Sonic focused, nudging the ball of energy deep inside her. After being dormant for so long, it flared up viciously. It flew through her body faster than before, her fur glowing brighter than ever.

"I am ready." Sonic called, smiling as her voice echoed as though a thousand people spoke. They had her in a training room. She was to get through the highest course as quickly as she could.

First was an obstacle course. Sonic floated to the ground and ran it. She had never gone this fast! Everything seemed to slow down around her. Sonic jumped over the spikes and spears that jutted out in her path. She ducked under poles and flew up walls. She finished the whole obstacle course in what seemed like seconds.

Next, Sonic blew up a few dummies that tried to shoot her. The bullets rebounded off her fur like it was steel. After that she had only to show skill with a gun. That was a bit harder, but when she found the trigger all she did was shoot in random directions. Low grade on that. All in all, she got a 90% out of a possible 100%.

"Great job!" Alan said, running in. "Sonic, you were amazing! All you have to do is help us track down someone else and you'll be free until we need your help again. I'm serious, you were excellent! We don't need another test!"

"Great." Sonic said dully. She wanted to go home right then, not wait until after she tracked some other dangerous person. Her power slipped back inside her, leaving her voice and fur normal. "But right now I want chili dogs and a nap."

"Anything you want!" Alan exclaimed, leading Sonic out of the training room. Sonic was greeted by every doctor in the building, as she had known she'd be. Blondie gave her a plate of chili dogs and showed her to a bedroom, disappearing eerily again. Sonic sighed and lay down on the pillows, wishing she was back at school with Shadow and all her other friends.

Rouge was probably very worried, and knowing Cream the rabbit would be hysterical. Blaze would be almost all on her own with the paper and Silver's dorm room had been imploded. Yet all Sonic was worried about was if Rouge and Knuckles had made up. Sonic really hoped they had. The world could use a love symbol now, when everything seemed to be going worse and worse. Everyone needed some hope.

Tina punched Shadow in the nose, knocking him backwards. He stumbled and fell, clutching his nose as it bled. He had spent all afternoon accepting painful wounds like this new one from Tina. Saline tried to be encouraging, but it didn't often work. In fact, he had yet to get in a decent blow.

"Come on Shadow, you can do better than that!" Tina taunted. Shadow stood, moving into the guard position she had taught him. He was getting tired of her punching him. As soon as the sun set, Tina said that she would let him eat dinner. That had to be two hours away, at least. Tina had also said if he knocked her down than he was done for the day. Probably even longer away.

"Watch out!" Saline shouted. Shadow jumped away from Tina's foot just before it hit his gut.

"NO FAIR!" Tina yelled, scowling in Saline's direction before she turned to Shadow. She bared her teeth in a threatening way and lunged at him. Shadow jumped out of the way again, only to lunge away a second later. Tina kept him dodging rather than attacking so he couldn't knock her down.

Tina caught his arm, about to throw him over her hip. Shadow twisted to try and get out of her grip, but Tina gasped and was gone. He realized he had twisterd her behind him and turned. She was five feet away on the ground.

"Good job Shadow!" Saline called. Shadow watched Tina get up, worried she might be more than mad. She could be furious.

"Wow, Shadow. I didn't teach you that." Tina frowned slightly, but then smiled and laughed. "That was good. But it won't be so easy next time!"

"I'm not counting on it." Shadow answered, knowing she'd probably come at him with a lot more now that he had knocked her down.

"Not tomorrow, though. Shadow needs to concentrate on Red magic." Saline interrupted. "He hasn't gotten it down yet."

"Uh…Sure. Okay. Not tomorrow. You can run away, but eventually I will GET YOU!" Tina promised, turning to run into her house.

"Drama queen." Saline muttered, shaking her head. She started to follow, but then turned to stare at Shadow. She had an odd look on her face, an expression Shadow couldn't understand. It was absolutely unfathomable. "Are you coming?"

"I'll practice a bit more. I don't want her to-" Shadow raised his voice so Tina could hear-"GET ME!" Tina laughed from her house. "I'll be in eventually."

"Sure." Saline stared at him before turning and jogging to the house. When she got there Shadow heard a large bang and Tina yelping. "GET HIM? YOU'RE GOING TO MOTIVATE HIM BY THREATENING TO GET HIM?"

Shadow laughed, shaking his head. He lowered himself into the attack position and tried to remember how he had thrown Tina. It had just happened-he didn't think about doing a thing. One moment he was struggling to get free, the next Tina was sprawled on the ground.

Sonic picked at the hem of her 'professional' jacket nervously. Alan had insisted she wear a suit to the meeting. It was basically an explanation of how awesome she was and who she was going to be tracking. So far it had been boring, and Sonic was absolutely dying in the suspense.

She didn't want to seem like an impatient child, but she waiting for the name. She wanted to know who she needed to find, and she couldn't wait hardly another moment. She distracted herself by studying the captain guy.

He had dark brown hair and creamy skin. He was a human. Sonic lived in a relatively animal part of Mobius. Everyone knew there were humans, but no one had seen them. Some people spun tales about antennas and twenty fingers, but so far every human Sonic had met looked relatively normal-like a mutated hedgehog without fur.

"They're going to name who you're tracking." Alan hissed in her ear. "Pay attention!"

"The dangerous student that is currently unlocated is named Shadow Hedgehog Lightman." The man read. Sonic started at hearing Shadow's last name. "Objective; kill him."


	5. Chapter 5: Pressure

Chapter Five: Pressure

By

LordHelen

The song of a bird. The whistle of wind as shot between leave. Saline's soft, even breathing. He couldn't change it at all. He couldn't enhance it or deafen it. When he didn't rush, nothing happen. When he did rush, his mind was put through such strain that it would explode.

"It's no use." Shadow said bitterly, open his eyes. Saline looked sympathetic. "I can't do it."

"Shadow, you're doing great. You just don't understand…Red magic is different than most other magic. It involves complete calm. Total control of body and mind. It is a magic originated from catholic priests who meditated until they had enough control to remain calm in a crisis." Saline said. Shadow was hardly listening. He had this speech and many others over the last week. "Shadow, are you even listening? See, you have no control! How do you expect to master this magic if you can't control your own mind?!"

"I'm listening." Shadow said grumpily.

"Repeat what I just said, then. Is you were truly listening then you would know each word." Saline folded her arms and glared at him.

"Red magic is different, control of the mind, something about catholic priests…"

"Shadow, the art of magic is something you will never master if you don't listen. I understand you're a teenager and most of you just watch adults' lips move and don't hear a thing, but this is important! This is life and death!"

"This is just Red magic!" Shadow argued.

"Not just Red magic, all magic! You won't learn one spell if you can't listen, and if you want to save Sonic and get out alive then you need to know this!" Saline shouted. Usually she tried to be patient and supportive of Shadow, but the whole week he hadn't even tried to approve. Shadow's eyes turned flat and icy and he clenched his jaw. "Shadow, I didn't mean…"

"I'm trying again." Shadow said in a tight voice. Saline sighed at his reserved coolness. He always went into a shell when Sonic was brought up. He was distant and cold, and he refused to stop practicing magic until they had to force him to begin his daily physical exercises, and then he didn't stop that until he was sweat soaked and had to stop,

"Shadow, listen to me."

"No." Shadow said in flat denial.

"Shadow, Sonic is going to be fine. Shadow, listen! Do you really think it will help her if you work yourself into the ground?" Saline saw anger and pain flash in his eyes.

"First I'm not working hard enough and now I'm working too hard?"

"No, it's not about how hard you work. It's about how hard you _try._ Magic is too dangerous, Shadow. I just want you to try to get control of yourself so you can be the great warrior I know you can be. You told us Sonic has to work on training her Light Wanderer form every once in a while to get stronger. I think you could do that too." Saline looked into his eyes and saw that none of this had sunk in.

"I'm trying again." Shadow repeated. Saline sighed, but she heard the tone in his voice that meant he would take no argument. She knew what it felt like to have someone you love hanging on whether or not you learned magic, and she knew how empty and scared he must feel. But she also knew what working like he was did to the odds, and she couldn't let him lose Sonic.

~Line Break~

"NO!" Sonic yelled, slamming her suitcase shut before the men could put anything else in it.

"Sonic, I'm sure I can change their minds. They're just embarrassed because the president publicly criticized them on letting a high school student escape. No one needs to die, I'm sure." Alan said gently, waving a hand. The men opened the suitcase again.

"No!" Sonic repeated, slamming the suitcase shut. "I don't care what you say or what you do, but I am not going to track and capture my boyfriend! And if you two don't stop packing those clothes, I will burn you to cinders! Whose clothes are these anyway?"

"Yours, Sonic. We are supplying you with a new wardrobe. As you are our leading offensive and defensive maneuver, we have bullet proof vests, camouflage shirts, pants and helmets, and stationary boots." Alan motioned to the clothes and boots.

"I am NOT an offensive or defensive anything! I am going home, and you can't stop me!" Sonic growled at one of them ho reached forward. He stepped back and waited for instruction.

"Sonic, be reasonable!" Alan protested, shoving the suitcase open again. Sonic slammed it shut and sat on it this time. "Try to behave!"

"I do not answer to anyone here, and especially not you!" Sonic crossed her arms and thrust her chin forward stubbornly. Alan decided to try a different approach.

"What if I can't get them to change their minds? They'll send the tracking team out without you. Do you really want them to find Shadow first?"

"You're lying." Sonic accused.

"If they find Shadow and you're not there, there will be nothing to stop them from killing him."

"But what could I do to change that? They have stunners!" Sonic argued, trying to hold her part of the argument.

"You would be the leader. They would have to follow you're orders." Alan said. He saw the defeat in her eyes. She knew he was right.

"Fine. But if Shadow gets hurt or tested at all, I will blow this place up." Sonic threatened, slipping off the suitcase. Alan didn't have to ask if she was kidding or not.

~Another Line Break~

Shadow stared at the thatched ceiling of Tina's hut. He couldn't sleep. He knew that Saline thought that it was her fault he was acting like this again, but really it wasn't. She was just speaking the truth. He knew Sonic wouldn't transform for them to do tests on her, so he knew she was helpless. If she got hurt at all while he was busy being useless than he would never forgive himself.

He tried to control his mind like Saline told him to, but it was hard. He had never been really good at wholly focusing on one thing. He was very good at acting calm, but he never really was. And now Sonic was resting in the balance and he wasn't strong enough to save her.

Shadow jumped up and began to pace the length of the room, too enraged to sit still. He still wasn't used to the fact that he was going to save Sonic. IT was her who had saved him. He had just been watching her fight. He was never really that important during the fight, but now it was his fight and his girlfriend he was fighting for.

He had always thought that the victim, usually him, wasn't really important. Just on the sidelines. But now that it was Sonic he realized how very important the victim was. Did Sonic always feel so scared, so worried? Did she always feel as if she was making every mistake possible and she would never manage to do it? If she did, how had she been able to come through and be the same kind, enjoyable person at the end? How could she not be waiting ceaselessly for the next catastrophe, the next big issue?

Shadow sighed and sat down. He couldn't stop making mistakes. He wouldn't push himself hard enough and then he would push himself too far so he couldn't push himself far enough. He couldn't control himself enough to do Red magic, and Saline would not teach him anything else until he learned energy.

There was no time to learn it Saline's way. He walked into the living room where Tina was sleeping since she gave her bed to Saline and focused on calm. Saline told him never to practice magic without her, but where was the time?

~Line Break~

"Sir, I got her to agree to lead the team." Alan said.

"She agreed to kill him?

"Well, not necessarily, but…" Alan wiped his damp forehead on his sleeve and sighed desperately.

"Can you get her to?"

"No, sir. I cannot. She loves him, sir."

"Too bad. We will have to sedate her and keep her in a prison cell until he is found. 107 should hold her."

"But, sir…"

"Alan, if you won't then I have many doctors who will!"

"I won't do it, sir!" Alan said boldly.

"Strike one, Alan. I do not have time for this kind of rebellion. Three strikes, and you're out."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Truth

By

LordHelen

Sonic groaned, trying to reach up through the fog that shrouded her. _That…that weasel! He sedated me!_ Sonic realized, but there was little she could do against it. Her limbs refused to work with her brain, and she couldn't seem to open her eyes.

Her hand reached out feebly and she met cold metal. For some reason, this scared her. She didn't know where she was, but she knew she did not want to be there. She managed to moan through the heavy sedation. Suddenly, the metal at her fingertips was sliding by. There was a sharp pain as something pricked her arm and then more pain as ice slid into her veins. Then her head became cloudier as a whole new wave of drugs washed through her.

"Wait…" Sonic moaned, trying to fight it off. She did the first thing that came to mind. She tried to pull the Light Wanderer out of her so she could clear her head. In her sedated state the most she could do was make the energy flash through her, but it did disable the drugs. "Where am I?"

"You're not supposed to be awake!" A woman yelped. She dropped the empty syringe and it shattered on the metal floor. Sonic lunged, grabbing her and covering her mouth before she could yell for someone else. The woman fainted, causing Sonic to laugh. She had met someone so weak.

She saw the metal door was still open, so she took the woman's coat as a disguise and hid her in a corner that could only be located if you stepped into the room and looked directly at it. She would be found, but that was the best place. Then Sonic took her security card and slipped out.

She looked both ways. On one side was a big, black metal door and the other twisted around a corner to god knows where. Sonic went to the door and slipped the security card in the slot. The door opened and Sonic grinned. The kitchen! Sonic ran in, opened the refrigerator, and found it full of chili dogs. Probably just because she was staying here.

Sonic started to gorge herself, but then, as an afterthought, she searched the kitchen. She found a small basket and a few plates. She loaded two plates with chili dogs and one with the fruits that did not completely repulse her. Then she put several bottles of water inside. Her best chance of survival was to find a way out, use these supplies to get to a town, and then think up a way to find Shadow.

"Ugh! I can't do it!" Shadow groaned, throwing himself backwards so he slapped the ground. "It is just too hard!"

"Shadow, try one more time!" Saline begged. Shadow sighed and tried again. He deafened himself to the sounds around him and tried to use his own special reserve of power to color Saline. Slowly, a dull yellow formed around her. He expected the pain, the strain to spring on his mind and Saline would have to save him. But nothing happened.

Shadow tried to grab onto her aura and make it visible to anyone, or in other words make it real. Saline had told him if he could do that then he would be able to start on energy. "Hey, Tina, come here!"

"What is it hedgehog? Saline, why are you glowing?" Tina walked over, staring at the rabbit openly. Saline looked at her aura and beamed.

"Good job Shadow! Thank you for coming over, Tina." Saline said.

"Whatever." Tina walked away, shaking her head.

"Now you're ready for energy. I haven't any idea how you got so good. I guess you're a natural!" Saline gushed, still not knowing Shadow had been practicing without her.

"I guess." Shadow agreed.

"Okay, here. Do you see your aura?" Saline grabbed Shadow's hand and held it up for his inspection. Shadow concentrated on it and a bright, dark blue aura slowly appeared.

"Yes."

"Good, Now, to use energy you have to make your own aura real. You have to make it visible, like mine. This will be harder because it is your own aura. You will not be able to grab it as easily." Saline said. Shadow tried, but his aura kept slipping back into the 'in between stage', as Saline called it. This is a place between reality and nonexistence.

"Okay, are you done trying to see things that aren't there? I do have a bit more to teach you, you know." Tina interrupted loudly. Shadow stood up, but then he heard something. It sounded like a soft command, like pyre…liar…FIRE?!

"Down!" Shadow grabbed Tina and they hit the ground just as the bullets were about to hit them.

"Saline, are you ready?" Tina asked as shouts filled the clearing. It appeared the attackers were reloading.

"Shadow, run that way! Don't stop until you find the temple! There you will be able to find out the rest!" Saline said, pushing Shadow roughly to the South.

"Ask Black Doom! He will tell you what you are!" Tina added, pulling a machine gun from under her porch and tossing it to him. "Use that!"

Shadow ran the way Saline ordered, hearing pursuit clearly. He twisted and shot one man before he could get very far. The forest started to fly by as he ran. He shot another man who was gaining on him, but there were few. Saline and Tina were doing a good job at holding them off. But who was Black Doom?

The temple appeared on the horizon and then he was at the steps. He slammed the door behind him and leaned against it. He saw several tables, so he piled all of them against the door. Then he looked at the temple itself.

"Look at these. Amazing detail." Shadow murmured examining the pictures on the walls. It showed at first a happy civilization. Then suddenly a Black Cloud came upon the civilization. It looks like the person who painted it thought that actually describing the horror would bring it back. He only called it 'Black Doom' and it appeared that this thing destroyed the civilization and was feared as a dark god.

"So how do I talk to it?"

Sonic paced in front of door that led outside. She hoped. She had gone through several doors and ended up trying to get out. She thought the door she faced now would lead outside because of the sunlight streaming under the edge of the door. But it required a code, not a security card. There was the numbers 0-9, but it was a four number code.

"Um…I doubt it, but…" Sonic tapped the numbers _1, 2, 3,_ and _4._ The door beeped and Sonic heard the lock click. "What? They cannot be that stupid!" Sonic pulled the door open and smiled. Trees sprouted up about a hundred yards away. Before that was a giant garden filled with lilies, roses, buttercups, poppies, bellflowers, yellow and blue broom-rape, columbine, and daisies.

Sonic picked a poppy and stared at it. How could a place as evil as this have such a beautiful garden? Sonic gathered one of every flower and walked to the edge of the forest. She heard a commotion somewhere farther in the forest. Deep inside, by the sound of it. Sonic ran in and when she got to the clearing, she stopped in her tracks and dropped the flowers.

Soldiers from the government facility she had just left flooded the clearing, fighting a rabbit using some kind of magic. It glittered all different colors. There was a squirrel already on the ground, looking very much dead. Sonic decided to do something about this small war, immediately taking the rabbit's side. She pulled her power through herself and her fur began to glow. Then she charged into the clearing.

She knocked the men to the ground with a powerful wind and then threw a blue energy blast at one man. He screamed and burned up into nothing. The bunny, realizing her intentions, helped by throwing yellow energy blasts. Sonic threw a shield up around the rabbit to protect from the bullets, not bothering to do so with herself. The bullets just bounced off her fur.

Once the threat was eliminated Sonic went over to the rabbit. She had three bullet wounds and would need immediate medical attention. Sonic tried to get her to come with her, but the rabbit refused.

"No, I'm long gone. I've escaped death too many times…no one can run forever. But you must find Shadow!"

"Shadow? You know Shadow? Where did he go?" Sonic demanded. The rabbit looked her over and smiled.

"I should have known. You are Sonic, aren't you? You two are much the same…he cared for you just as much. Tina and I were holding them off for Shadow. He went to the Temple of the Irisid*. But be careful. Shadow is not what he appears. He was made from Black Doom's DNA."

"Made?" Sonic asked, backing away slowly. "Are you insane? He's a flesh and blood hedgehog, just like me!"

"No, not like you. He is flesh and blood, and he is as much living as you or I. But Sonic, he was made. By Gerald Robotnic. Shadow has evil blood in him, a debt that can never be repaid. When Gerald took Black Doom's DNA for his creation he didn't realize the thing might come back for him. Shadow will be called upon soon, and not even you can save him."

"I…I won't believe it! Shadow has…had…a mother!" Sonic argued back.

"You don't understand! He's different, isn't he? He doesn't have a mother, he never did! Gerald is dead and Shadow was forced to abandon his home, the ARC, a while after his creation. Shadow just barely made it here, and apparently he lost his memory. Tina was the one who found him. She took care of him for a few days, trying to learn about him. She found all this out and told Hannah, who took Shadow to take care of him. If she chose to make him believe he was her son that was her choice."

"I…I…" Sonic couldn't think of what to say. This was absurd, this was insane. There was no way her precious Shadow wasn't real. Suddenly the rabbit lunged forward, grabbing Sonic's head. Sonic blinked and all of the rabbit's thoughts streamed into her head. "Wow."

"I have magic, child. It is true, I assure you." Rabbit fell back and her eyes glazed over. Sonic was left wondering if the bunny was that close to death or if her quest to show Sonic the truth had killed her. But most of all she wondered how she could survive this one. Did it really matter is Shadow was made? Yes. It mattered very much. But what had her most upset is what the rabbit had said about her not being able to save him. How could she not save him? She loved him


	7. Chapter 7: Alliances

Chapter Seven: Evil

By

LordHelen

"So how do I talk to it?" Shadow put his hand over the black cloud and sighed. How did you talk to a myth? A god that might never have really existed? An idol that died out many years ago…

"You turn around," a voice answered from behind. Shadow spun and saw a black star with six points and a red eye in the center. He was just floating there, despite there being no sign of entry. The tables were still stacked against the door. No one had come in that way.

"You…?" Shadow looked at the picture. Could this black cloud morph into another shape? Was this Black Doom so dangerous he could enter a temple without using the door?

"I am Black Doom," the star confirmed when Shadow failed to finish his question. "I have awaited this moment for many long years. Finally we are together, Shadow."

"Saline told me to ask you about how I was…made," Shadow said, looking at the star again. For some reason that didn't help his nerves. He briefly considered running away.

"Ah, yes. It's an interesting story. Gerald Robotnik attempted to make a Super Life Form, basically a Living Super Cure to all illnesses. His granddaughter had gotten sick he wanted to save her pathetic life. He made several attempts and failed. Then I can along a graciously offered my DNA to help him. Thus you were created."

"Super…Cure?" Shadow repeated. A Super Cure…he'd never been a doctor or saved anyone's life before. He had never gotten sick, but that didn't prove anything.

"Now I have come to collect Gerald's I.O.U. I have come for you, Shadow. A fine weapon you will be. I think I'll use you to destroy this world."

"What? Destroy? Mobius? Why would I do that?" Shadow asked, his gut telling him he did not want to be here, that he should run away before Black Doom said anything that could make him destroy Mobius.

"Because I know just how to get you to do so. I need to so you something," Black doom said ominously. Suddenly, the temple disappeared and black space appeared. Shadow was in space, alive! "I'll be waiting for you at the ARC, to show you why you'll do just what I say."

Black Doom disappeared, leaving Shadow all alone. In space.

Sonic became dully aware that she was not alone, and then suddenly aware that in her confusion and depression she was no longer the Light Wanderer. She looked around and saw guns pointed at her. She stood up and stumbled away from the rabbit.

"Sonic, you are under arrest for the merciless slaughter of these soldiers and the assault of Megan Griffin," a deep voice informed her. A man in a dressy military outfit stepped forward.

"Do you want to arrest me or save the world?" Sonic snapped, not in the mood to deal with these people and still incredibly uncertain about Shadow.

"Save the world?" The rumor ran through the line of soldiers, before the man ordered them to hold formation.

"What do you mean, save the world, hedgehog?"

"Shadow-"

"I knew that hedgehog was a threat!" he growled.

"Shadow will be forced to destroy Mobius by a creature called Black Doom!" Sonic said loudly, talking over the captain's next words. "You can arrest me, but I'm the only one who can stop him. In fact…" Sonic inwardly cringed as she prepared to say what she had to say. "It would very much help if I could work with G.U.N."

"Work _with_ us?"

"Yes, because I need your resources and gun power. So arrest me if you want, the only one standing in this clearing that can stop Black Doom is me."

"Stand down, men. I have orders to arrest you. Come to the base with me and I'll talk to my officials."

"I can't, I need to go find Shadow before Black Doom does. _Alone,_" Sonic emphasized when one soldier stepped forward to accompany her.

"I can't authorize that," the captain disagreed.

"Good think I'm not asking permission, then," Sonic hissed. "Arrest me once I've found Shadow. It won't be good if Black Doom finds him, as I'm sure you know."

"You have one hour to find him and return to this clearing. If not, we'll have to hunt you down, and we'll include your resisting arrest in our report."

"Ooh, reprimanded on paper," Sonic muttered sarcastically. The captain got a weird look on his face like he was considering shooting Sonic. So Sonic very quickly left the clearing. Because of what the rabbit had shown her, Sonic knew where Shadow was and how to get there. She could only hope she wasn't too late.

She ran as fast as she could and soon reached the temple. The door was blocked, so she took it as a good sign. When she tried to pull her energy throughout her body and change, it didn't happen. She put it down as fear for Shadow and clawed her way through to an empty temple.

Shadow sat down for a moment to relax. He had found out he hated space intensely, and when he finally got on the ARC he was incredibly pissed off. Surprisingly, he wasn't out of breath like someone would be after going on a jog through SPACE. Then again, most someones couldn't breathe in space, either.

"Welcome to ARC, Shadow. This is where you were born…or created, whichever you prefer." Black Doom floated into view.

"How can a star without a freaking mouth talk?" Shadow hissed back.

"I am the all powerful BLACK DOOM! I can do anything!" Black Doom responded. Shadow stood up and looked around.

"It's very high-tech, right?"

"Extremely, or at least for Mobius. I used to know this charming medium sized planet before I wiped it out of the universe that could put this to shame. Follow me," Black Doom started floating away. Shadow followed him through the impressive ARC until he ended up in a room with a clear wall so he could see Mobius.

"Mobius…"

"I will permit you to bring one thing from ?Mobius here before you destroy it. If you refuse to destroy Mobius, I'll kill that thing. Because we both know what you'll pick."

"Sonic," Shadow muttered absentmindedly.

"Really? I was going to say donuts, but Sonic it is." The scene changed and Shadow was standing in the temple again. "Find her, then I'll help you with the next phase of my plan."

"What is the next phase?" Shadow turned to look at Black Doom, but he was gone.


End file.
